Lavish Sets To A-List Stars: 5 High-Budget Korean Dramas Worth Watching

What truly marks these series as high‑budget is their investment in world‑class production values. From constructing elaborate sets or filming in foreign locations to hiring top actors and delivering thousands of CGI shots, each of these shows feels like premium television. Let’s explore some popular examples that captivate on a grand scale:

5 Best High-Budget (Most Expensive) Korean Dramas

1. The King: Eternal Monarch

‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ blended parallel worlds, romance, and political intrigue, anchored by stars Lee Min‑ho and Kim Go‑eun. Its production cost exceeded 30 billion Korean won, reflecting lavish sets, visual effects, luxury costumes, and the creation of an alternate reality within the story. The drama is about, “A modern-day Korean emperor passes through a mysterious portal and into a parallel world, where he encounters a feisty police detective”, according to Netflix.

The drama’s polished aesthetic and cinematography contribute to its royal appeal and memorable storytelling making it one of the most popular K-dramas of 2020.

2. Moving

‘Moving’ is the most expensive Korean drama ever made, with a staggering budget estimated at around 60 billion Korean won. This superhero action‑thriller follows three teenagers with supernatural powers and star performers like Jo In‑sung, Han Hyo‑joo, and Ryu Seung‑ryong. According to JioHotstar, the plot of the story revolves around, “Children who live in hiding with superpowers, along with their parents who live with painful secrets of the past, face enormous dangers together.”

The series boasts over 7,000 CGI shots, ambitious stuntwork, and film‑level production quality that equals to Hollywood standards.

3. ‘Arthdal Chronicles’

As South Korea’s first true ancient fantasy saga, ‘Arthdal Chronicles’ embraces epic worldbuilding with extensive sets, overseas locations, and high-end production design. Its total production cost reached approximately 54 billion Korean won. According to IMDb, “Arthdal Chronicles depicts the birth of civilization and nations in ancient times. It is a story of mythical heroes--their struggle, unity, and love of people living in a virtual land called Arth.”

This K-drama featured stars such as Jang Dong-gun, Kim Ok-vin. Song Joong‑ki, Kim Ji‑won, and delivered one of K‑drama’s most elaborate fictional civilizations.

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4. ‘Snowdrop’

‘Snowdrop’, set in 1987 Korea Democracy Movement, became known not just for its controversial storyline but also its substantial budget, estimated at over 32 billion Korean won. The story is , “Adapted from the handwritten notes of a man who escaped from a political prison camp in North Korea, "Snowdrop" is set against the backdrop of the 1987 Democracy Movement in South Korea”, as reported by IMDb.

Its costumes, historical sets, and detailed production design brought authenticity and visual richness to a tense political romance starring Jung Hae‑in and BLACKPINK's Jisoo, which was one of the most expensive K-dramas released in 2021.

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5. ‘Sweet Home’

Netflix’s ‘Sweet Home’ is one of the popular apocalyptic horror series. With an estimated budget of 30 billion Korean won, it delivered cinematic monster design, motion capture effects, and haunting visuals suitable for its terrifying setting. The Netflix synopsis states, “As humans turn into savage monsters and the world plunges into terror, a handful of survivors fight for their lives — and to hold on to their humanity.”

With its ensemble cast, dramatic tension, chilling atmosphere, and three hit seasons, it became an international hit.

If you’re looking for shows that feel like feature‑length experiences with cinematic experience, emotional depth, or mythological thrills, these Korean dramas are definitely worth binge-watching.

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Image credit: IMDb